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Linguistics & Grammar vocabulary · Tense, Aspect and Verb Forms

Modal verb

Meaning in linguistics & grammar, with examples

/ˌməʊdl ˈvɜːb/nounCore term

In linguistics & grammar, modal verb means: An auxiliary verb such as can, could, may, might, must, should, will or would that expresses ideas like ability, possibility, permission, obligation or advice.

In Turkish: modal fiil, kiplik bildiren yardımcı fiil

How it is used

Modal verbs have only one form (no -s, no -ing) and are followed by the bare infinitive: she can swim, not she cans swim or she can to swim. Linguists study their meanings under the heading of modality.

Example sentences

  1. The modal verb 'must' and the phrase 'have to' both express obligation, but mustn't and don't have to mean very different things.

  2. 'Might' is a modal verb of possibility: 'It might rain later.'

Common collocations

  • modal verb of obligation
  • modal verb of possibility
  • use a modal verb
  • semi-modal
  • auxiliary verbA verb used with a main verb to form tenses, questions, negatives and the passive, mainly be, have and do, plus modal verbs such as can and will.
  • verbA word that shows an action, event or state, such as run, become or know; in English it changes its form to show tense and agreement.
  • infinitiveThe basic form of a verb, which shows no tense or person, often used with 'to' (to go, to write) and sometimes without it (She can go).
  • tenseA grammatical category, shown by the form of the verb, that places an event in time relative to the moment of speaking, such as present or past.

More terms: Tense, Aspect and Verb Forms

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